Apparatus for vacuum forming ductile material



Feb. 12, 1957 c. A. DOVIDIO A 2,78

APPARATUS FOR VACUUM FORMING DUCTILE MATERIAL Original Filed Sept. 9, 1953 VACUUM DRAW CYCLE INVENTOR;

6/155 757? A DOV/D10 Y 8 Des dARD/NS, 720B/N50N 5 KEISER HIS ATTORNEYS about the article.

United States Patent C APPARATUS FOR VACUUIW FORMING DUCTHJE MATERI-l "Chester A. Dovidio, Leominster, Mass assignor to Nixon Nitration Writ-ks, Nixon, N. J.,'a' corporation of New g s y.

application September 9, 1953, 'Serial No. 379,256. Divided and this application June 4, 1954, Serial No.434,619

7 Claims. (Cl. 154-41) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 379,256 filed September 9, 1953, and

"relates to apparatus for vacuumfor ming sheets of ductile material, and more particularly, to a novel apparatus for place so as to form an air-tight seal between the sheet and the box. The sheet is softened and rendered pliable either by soaking the sheet in acetone,'or a mixture of acetone and alcohol, before it is clamped in the pressure frame, or by applying heat to the sheet after it isclamped over the die box. The heating ofthe sheet'is ordinarily accomplished by moving a flat plate heated to a'tcmper- 'ature of from 500 to 700 Hover the plastic sheet so as to soften the material and render it pliable. A vacuum is then applied to the die box by means of a vacuum line connected to the bottom or" the box. The mold is perforated with many'tiny holes so that the softened sheet will be drawn down into intimate contact with the atively flat articles over plaster or sprayed metal molds.

It has not, so far as I am aware, been applied to the covering of articles with a layer of plastic material which forms part of the subject matter of the present invention.

In accordance with my invention, the article to be covered replaces the mold in the conventional vacuum forming process; However, since it is neither feasible nor desirable to perforate the article to be covered with the customary suction holes, different means must be provided for drawing the pliable plastic material down The plastic covering may be adhered to the article by any desired type of adhesive which may be applied to the article before it is placed in the die box at the outset of the operation.

In applying the vacuum forming process to the covering of articles with plastic sheet material, it has been found that the process works satisfactorily except when deep draws are encountered in which case the extreme stretching of the plastic sheet material over the article the case of high heels, i. e., 22/8 heels, the thickness of the plastic covering will range from .005 inch at places Where the stretch is greatest, to a full .010 inch at places where little or no stretch occurs. This represents a 100% variation in thickness which, of course, is undesirable since the cover is greatly weakened and is rendered susceptible to cracking or splitting at the places where it has been pulled thin. It is one of the purposes of my invention, therefore, to minimize this stretching of the sheet material and provide a covering of substantially uniform thickness throughout. 1 have found that this canbe done by applying a reduced vacuum to the die box at the outset of the operation. After the plastic sheet has commenced to drape over the articles in the die box, the heater is removed and the vacuum is increased to its full value for the remainder of the vacuum forming operation. The softer pull of the vacuum while the sheet is in a highly pliable state, prevents undue stretching and thinning out of the sheet at places where the pull is the greatest. At the same time, the vacuum is sufiicient to cause the plastic-to. drape over and around the articles reposing in the die boxso that when the heat is removed and the vacuum increased to its maximum value, there will be very little stretching of the material in the final A drawing of the sheet about the articles. Also, the cooling of the sheet will render it less pliable and better able to withstand the harder pull exerted by the increased vacuum without any undue elongation.

By use of my improved apparatus, the variation in the thickness of the plastic cover may be held within a few thousandths of an inch. That is, for relatively thin stock such as .010 inch cellulose nitrate sheet, the variation on 22/8 heels will not exceed .003 inch. In other words, the thinnest portion of the cover will be not less than .007 inch thick which represents a 43% variation in the thickness of the sheet. The principle of my invention may be applied with equally beneficial results to the vacuum forming of sheet material in molds having unusually deep draws which would cause excessive thinning out of the sheet stock to occur if the conventional vacuum forming method were employed.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a novel apparatus for covering articles with a layer of ductile material.

Another object of my invention is to provide a vacuum forming apparatus in which either partial vacuum or full vacuum may be applied to the die box.

Another object of my invention is to provide a vacuum forming die box having improved means for drawing the ductile, covering material about the articles to be covered.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent fromthe following description, the invention includes certain other novel features the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of one possible form of apparatus which may be used in practicing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the condition of the plastic sheet after it has been softened by heat and has commenced to drape over the articles or dies in the die box under the influence of a partial vacuum.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the wood heels appearing inthe preceding figures showing the details of one of the vacuum nozzles on which each of the heels is mounted.

Fig. 4 is a graph showing the approximate time in the draw cycle when the heater is removed and the vacuum increased to its maximum value.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown a schematic representation of a vacuum forming apparatus which may be utilized in carrying out my invention. As herein shown, a vacuum tank 10 is evacuated and maintained at a predetermined reduced pressure by means of'a vacuum pump 12 which is connected with the tank by a line 14 and a suitable moisture trap 16. A die box 18 of conventional design is connected with the vacuum tank 10 by a vacuum line 20 attached in the usual manner to the bottom of the die box. The line 20 is connected with a port on a selector valve 22 provided with a rotatable core 24 which is ported in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. A second port on the valve 22 is connected by a line 26 directly to the vacuum tank 10, the line 26 thereby constituting a source of maximum vacuum for the die box. A third port on the valve 22 is connected by a line 27 with a reducing valve 28 which is connected with the tank 10 whereby the line 27 provides a source of reduced or partial vacuum for the die box.

The die box 18 is provided with the customary hinged clamping frame 30 which serves to hold a sheet of thermoplastic material 32 in air-tight engagement with the top of the die box. A radiant type heater 34 is hinged at one end on the die box 18 so that the heater may be swung up out of heating position as shown in Fig. 1 or down into position over the thermoplastic sheet as shown in Fig. 2 where it will be effective to heat and soften the material.

Seated in the bottom of the die box 18 is a removable die plate 36 on which are supported a plurality of vacuum nozzles 38 on which are mounted the wood heels 40 to be covered with the thermoplastic material 32. As shown herein, the nozzles are of smaller diameter than the upper portions of the heels so that the edges of the heels overhang the nozzles and thereby enable the plastic material to be drawn beneath the edges of the heels as shown in Fig. 3. The constructional details of the vacuum nozzles 38 may be better understood by referring to Fig. 3 where they are shown on an enlarged scale. As therein shown each nozzle comprises a short section of tubing 42 mounted in an upright position on the die plate 36 to which it may be secured by brazing or welding. The die plate 36 is made for a snug fit within the die box in order to efiect a seal between the edges of the plate and the box. Hence, when a vacuum is applied to the box through the line 20, the space between the bottom wall of the die box and the die plate 36 will be evacuated, this space being indicated by reference numeral 37 in Figs. 1 and 2. The interior of each tube section 42 is communicatively connected with the space 37 by a series of small holes or apertures 44 provided in the die plate 36 interiorly of the walls of the tube sections 42. Each tube section 42 is closed at its upper Y 4 and cause the interior face of the sheet to be firmly adhered to the surface of the heel. If the thermoplastic sheet stock chosen for the covering material is cellulose nitrate, a reactivating cement with a nitrocellulose base will constitute a satisfactory bonding agent which may be sprayed on the heels and allowed to dry before the heels are mounted on the die plate. The heels are mounted'on' the vacuum nozzleson the die plate 36 by tapping them down on the spikes 52 (Fig. 3) and, when a heel has been secured on each nozzle 38, the die plate 36 is placed in the die box 18 as shown in Fig. 1. Then the thermoplastic sheet stock to be used in the covering operation, for example nitrocellulose sheet .010 inch thick, is clamped in place in the clamping frame 30 above the heels' 40. The heater 34 which is maintained at a temperature of from 500 F. to 700 F. is then lowered into operative position above the sheet stock in order to preheat the thermoplastic sheet before the draw cycle commences- After the heater has been maintained in place over the sheet long enough for the latter to soften and become plastic, the draw cycle is commenced by applying apartial or reduced vacuum to the bottom of the die box through the vacuum line 20.. This is accomplished by turning the valve body 24 clockwise from the ofi position shown in Fig. 1. to the partial vacuum position shown in Fig. 2, the valve being operated by means of a suitable handle 60. With the valve body, in this position,,the vacuum line 20 will be connected with the vacuum tank 10 throughthe reducing valve 28. Accordingly, a reduced vacuum will be applied to the lower portion of the die box at the outsetfof thedrawing operation. As shown by the graph in Fig. 4, this partial vacuum may, for example, be V2 of the full vacuum when the valve 22 is the Fig. 2

position. This is assuming a full vacuum of approximately 12 pounds per square inch negative pressure so that the initial vacuum applied to the box would be 6 pounds per square inch negative pressure. This will be found suitable in cases where exceptionally deep draws are required, for

example, when heels of 22/8 are being covered, or the plastic sheet is being formed in a mold having draws of equivalent depth. When lower heels such as 18/8 are to be covered, or the sheet is to be formed in a mold having draws of equivalent depth, suitable results may be obtained I -by using a starting vacuum of /3' maximum or approxi- 45 mately 8 pounds per square inch negative pressure.

end by a plug 46 which is formed on its lower 'end with a short tenon 48 which is received within the upper end of the tube. The plugs 46 may be made of hard rubber, plastic, metal, or other suitable material, and have their top surfaces shaped to provide a seat 50 which conforms to the shape of the top of the heel 40. The heels are maintained in place on the seats 50 by means of spikes 52 which are secured in the die plate 36 and project up through the center of each tube 42 and plug 46. Hence, the heels 40 may be fastened'in place on the nozzle 38 by driving them onto the pointed ends of the spikes 52 in the manner indicated in Fig. 3.

For the purpose of drawing the thermoplastic sheet material in around the edges of the heel top, orifices 54 are provided in the sides of the tubes 42 and vacuum ducts 56 are provided in the plug 46for producing a vacuum on the surface of the heel adjacent the seat 50 on the plug. A conventional vacuum distributing screen 58 (Fig. 3) may be provided in the die box' 18 beneath the removable die plate 36 in accordance with conventional practice.

The mode of operation of my apparatus is as follows:

The vacuum applied to the die box through'the line 20 is increased to a maximum, i. e., 12 pounds per square -inch negative pressure, at approximately the same time or just after the heater 34 is raised to its inefiective position. This is'indicated in the graph in Fig. 4 where the line xx represents movement of the heater from its lowered or effective position which it occupies at the beginning of the draw cycle, to its raised or ineifective position where it remains until the-end of the draw cycle, i. e., until the 'vacu'um'is turned off. The removal of the heater from over the die box and the increase of the vacuum to 1ts maximum value should preferably occur somewhere in the first 10% to 30% of the draw cycle. The vacuum on the die box may be increased to its full value by giving the ivalve body 24 a half counterclockwise turn by'the handle 60 so that the line 26 will be communicatively connected with the vacuum line 20. At the end of the draw cycle,

'after the drawing operation has been completed, the

vacuum may be turned ofi by giving the handle 60 one quarter turn clockwise which will bring it back to its initial position shown in Fig. 1.

While my novel apparatus has been found to have parfticular advantage in the covering of wood heels for ladies sive variations in the thickness of the sheet when the ordinary vacuum forming process is used.

Accordingly, while I have described my invention in connection with one possible form or embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A vacuum forming apparatus for use in covering articles with a layer of ductile material comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of the box for evacuating air from the interior thereof, a removable die plate adapted to be received in said box to form a vacuum chamber in the bottom of said box, a plurality of upstanding tubular nozzles mounted on the upper face of said die plate for supporting the articles to be covered, each of said nozzles being smaller in diameter than the article supported thereon, and means on the top of each nozzle for holding the article in position thereon while the ductile material is drawn down about the articles supported thereon by the vacuum formed in the bottom of the box.

2. A vacuum forming apparatus for use in covering articles with a layer of ductile material comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of the box for evacuating air from the interior thereof, a removable die plate adapted to be received in said box to form a vacuum chamber in the bottom of the box, a plurality of spaced nozzle tubes projecting upwardly from the surface of said plate, means communicatively connecting the interior of each tube with said vacuum chamber, a plug in the upper end of each tube, a seat on the top of each plug for receiving articles to be covered, means on each seat for fastening the article firmly in place thereon, and an orifice in the side of each plug communicatively connected with the interior of its associated tube for drawing the ductile sheet material snugly about the articles to be covered.

3. Apparatus for vacuum forming a sheet of ductile material about a contoured object comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of said die box for removing air from the interior thereof, a vacuum tank, a reducing valve connected with said tank, and means for selectively connecting either said tank or said reducing valve with said line, including a valve adjustable from an off position to either a partial vacuum position in which said line is connected with said tank through said reducing valve, or a full vacuum position in which said line is connected directly with said tank.

4. Apparatus for vacuum forming a sheet of ductile material about a contoured object comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of said die box for evacuating air from the interior thereof, a

source of maximum vacuum, a source of partial vacuum, and means for selectively connecting said vacuum line with either of said sources.

5. A vacuum forming apparatus adapted for use in covering articles with a layer of pliable sheet material comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of the box for evacuating air from the interior thereof, a removable die plate adapted to be received in said box to form a vacuum chamber in the bottom of the box, a plurality of tubular nozzles projecting upwardly rom the surface of said plate, a seat on the top of each nozzle for receiving and supporting the articles to be covered, means on each seat for fastening the article firmly in place thereon, and an orifice in the side of each nozzle communicatively connected with said vacuum chamber, said orifice lying immediately beneath said seat so as to draw the sheet material snugly about the article to be covered.

6. A vacuum forming apparatus adapted for use in covering articles with a layer of pliable sheet material comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of the box for evacuating air from the interior thereof, a removable die plate adapted to be received in said box to form a vacuum chamber in the bottom of the box, a plurahty of tubular nozzles projecting from the surface of said plate, means communicatively connecting the interior of each nozzle with said vacuum chamber, a closure on the end of each nozzle, a seat on the top of each closure for receiving and supporting an article to be covered, means on each seat for fastening the article firmly in place thereon, and an orifice in the side of each nozzle for drawing the sheet material down over the article to be covered.

7. A vacuum forming apparatus for covering Wood heels with a layer of pliable sheet material comprising a die box, a vacuum line connected with the bottom of the box for evacuating air from the interior thereof, a removable die plate adapted to be received in said box to form a vacuum chamber in the bottom of the box, a plurality of tubular nozzles projecting from the surface of the plate, means communicatively connecting the interior of each nozzle with said vacuum chamber, a closure on the end of each nozzle, a spike projecting upwardly from each closure for impaling one of the heels to be covered, and an orifice in the side of each nozzle for drawing the sheet material down about the heel to be covered.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,022 Whitehouse Nov. 6, 1934 2,088,352 Vierkotter July 27, 1937 2,155,445 Pittenger Apr. 25, 1939 2,236,552 Ushakotf Apr. 1, 1941 2,363,431 Moorhouse Nov. 21, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 443,696 Great Britain Mar. 4. 1936 

